Safety-lock for calculator rack and type plates.



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W. R. DE CAMP.

SAFETY LOCK FOR CALCULATOR RACK AND TYPE PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 29.1915.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

WITSEL R. DE CAMP, 0F ROSELAND, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 ADDOME'IER COR- A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

SAFETY-LOCK FOR CALCULATOR RACK AND TYPE PLATES.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Julyr 3, 1917.

Application filed October 29, 1915. Serial No. 58,587.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, VlrrsnrJ R. DE CAMP, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Roseland, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Locks for Calculator Rack and Type Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide an improved locking means for the rack bars in a calculator, that prevent undue or objectionable movement of the rack bars at the latter portion of an operation of the machine.

A further object 4of this invention is to provide yieldable means that will prevent disabling of such mechanism.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 shows it in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts in different positions. Fig. 3 is a view taken at right angles to that of`Fig. 1 showing the set of rack bars. Fig. 4. is a horizontal section through one of the rack bars showing the abutment. Fig. 5 shows in elevation the stop plate, and Fig. 6 is an edge view of the same.

In the drawings are set forth a series of rack bars 7 that as shown have portions 8 for carrying type. The rack bars are vertically slidable on posts 9 supported in' a frame, denoted generally'by 10; It is cus tomary in machines of this character to advance the rack bars in one-direction 4by springs, such as a coil spring 11, only one of which is shown in Fig. 3. And in such machines the movement in the opposite drection of all of the rack' bars is generally e'ected by a single member such as a universal bar 12 that is caused to move up and down in the operation of the machine, permittin the springs to raise the rack bars, and w ich universal bar returns all of the rack bars tonormal position at the proper stage. Mechanism of this character is set forth in Letters Patent granted to J. C. Lotterhand, #1,102,157. In such patent is shown an operating member in the form of a bar or pitman 13 that moves back and forth in the usual operation of the machine, by the handle or prime mover.

In machines such as set forth in said patent, the rack bars are permitted to rise during the advance of the pitman but such upward movement is not desired during the return movement of the pitman. The purrack bars to prevent further advance during this return movement of the pitman; for the reason that at such stage the universal bar 12 is in elevated position, and under certain conditions the rack bars might be released by certain parts, such as the stop bars or numeral pinions, as set forth in said patent, and if -the rack bars were not restrained they would move violently upward the limit of their movement.

As shown each of the rack bars 7 is provided with an abutment or lug 14 at its base that extends forwardly. These abutments will be in alinement in the normal depressed position of the rack bars, and they are all engaged at a certain period by a single member, shown in the form of a cross bar 15. This bar is supported to move back and forth, from the position in engagement with the abutments as indicated in Fig. 1, to a position free from the abutments, as shown in Fig. 2. In the former position the bar 15 will evidently prevent 4the rack bars from being elevated by their springs, when otherwise free to move. The cross bar 15 is pivotally supported to swing between said positions, and is shown as having an arm 16 at one end that is pivoted at 17 on the side plate 18; such pivotal means being preferably of a frictional character to retain the arm and bar in-positi'ons to which advanced by the moving means. At its other end the cross bar 15 is provided with an arm 19 pivoted at 20 to the side member 21, (see Fig. 3).

The pitman 13 is provided with a pair oi" stops that willengage the arm 16 at the final portion of its advance and return movement. And this means of engagement is preferably of a yieldable nature. As shown I provide a stop plate 22 that is pivoted at 23 on the pitman' 13, the stop plate having an ear 24 that is normally pressed against the edge of the pitman by spring 25 tensioned between the stop plate and the pitman. The stop plate is provided with lugs 26 and 27 that engage the arm 16 of the cross bar 15, preferably by a pin 28 thereon.

In the operation of the device, the cross bar 15 is normally retained free of the abutments 14, by reason of the lug 27 engaging the pin on arm 16, as indicated in Fig. 2. When the pitman 13 advances to the right from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 1,

the initial movement will free the arm 1G, but this arm being frictionli ll y held the cross bar 15 wil'l'not shift. At th'e iinal portion of this advance of the pitman the lug .26 ,will strike the pin on the arm 1G and swing the arm and ,bar 1,5, over; toI engage the abut- 'n'iits 14 -i "the rack bai-s 7, or to engage those that are in the normal depressed position, as ndicated in Fig. 1. During the retl 11"n 'of lthe"pitrna'r'i, the arm 16and cross bar will'remain "in this 'shifted position until 'atlthe final portion ofthe return movement of 'the pitman the lug 2'? of the stop plate will strike the pin on arm 1G and shift the bar 15 away from position of engagement with the rack bars.

1f when the bar 1-5 is being advanced to 'engage the abutments, any of the abutmcnts that 'may lie in its path of 'movement and might thus interfere with tthe same," will 'not serve t9 disturbfan'y 'of the parts, for the reason thatftle 'stop plate?l can swing on the pitman 13 against the tension of its spring 'But as soon as such obstruction is r'e'n'ioved the cross bar will return to normal position.

=Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: 'i

1. In a calculator, the combination of a set of 'rack b'arsarranged to reciprocate, a cross Ebar 4mov-able to engage all ot' 'the rack hars to lock them `in normal positions, 'the rack bars having abutment portions engaged bythe cross "bar, anoperating melnber for the machine that is reciprocated in the'normal operation o'f the machine, means for causing the operating member to shift the cro'ssbar to 'engage and disengage the rack bars, and friction means connected with the 'rack bars, and a yielda-ble member connecting the'oper'ating member with the cross rod that can yield upon abnormal obstruction on said'engagement of the operatingl member.

'3. In a'calculator, the combination of a series of rack bars arranged to reciprocate and provided with abutment portions, a cross'barpivotally mounted to swing to engage and disengage the rack bar abntments in normal position of. the'rackibars. a pitman ladapted to Mbe reciprocated, and a'pair of' :ilnitinentson the pitnnm arranged to engage the -cross har at lthe latter portion ol its advance and return real iec-.tively whereinl to shift theicross bar to engaging and disen gag'ing positions with the rack bars, said abutments having a yieldable comiection with 4'the pitman to permit the yielding of the cross ba'r upon abnormal obstruction on Vsaid engagement-of the operating'mcmber.

5. a calculator, the combination of a series of rack bars arranged to reciprocate and provided with abutments, a cross bar inovably supported to shift to and from ,position of engagement with said abutments in the normal positions of the rack hars, a. pitman adapted to he reclrnocated :in the normal operation of the machine, a stop plate fpivoted on the .pitman, and a spring normally Vholding thc stop plate in a certain position on the epitman, said stop plate harin'g a pair of lugs arranged to engage 'the 'cross bar'at the linal portion of' the advance vand return of the p'itman whereby :to shift the cross bar to and lfrom its said position Aof engagement with the rack bars.

6. In a calculator, the combination of a serles of rack bars arranged to reciprocate and provided with abutments, across har movably supported to shift to and from position of engagement with said abutmcnts in Vthe normal posltlons of the rack bars, ap1t man adapted to be reciprocated in the normal operation of the machine, a stop plat-c pivoted on the pitman, a spring normallyy holding the stop plate in a certain position on-the pitman, said stop plate having a. pai r of lugs arranged to engage the cross bar :it the final portionof the advance and return of the pitman whereby to shift the cross bar to and from its said position of engagement. with the rack bars, and friction means for retaining the cross bar in the positions to which shifted by the stop plate.

7. In a calculator, the combination of a set of rack bars arranged to reciprocate and provided with abutments, a cross bar having an arm at each end that are .pivotally supported `to permit the cross bar to swing to and from position of engagement with the said abutments in the normal position of the rack bars` a pitman adapted to be reciprocated in thenormal operation of the 'machine, a stop fpl'ate pivoted on the pitman and provided with 'an ear, a spring between the pitman and the stop plate normally pressing the ear against the pitnian, and a pair oi lugs on tlie stop plate arranged to engage one oi said arms alternately at the final portion of the advance and return of the pitxnan whereby to shift the cross bar to and from its said position of engagement.

8. In a calculator, the combination of a set of rack bars arranged to reciprocate and provided with abutments, a cross bar having an arm at each end that are pivotally supported to permit the cross bar to swing to and from position of engagement with the said abutments in the normal position of the rack bars7 a pitlnan adapted to be reeipro Copies of this patent may be obtained for cated in the normal operation of the ma chine, a Stop plate pivoted on the pitman and provided with an ear, a spring between the pitman and the stop plate normally pressing the ear against the pitman, a pair of lugs on the stop plate arranged to engage one of said arms alternately at the final portion ol' the advance and return of the pitman whereby to shift the cross bar to and from its said positions of engagement, and friction means on one of said pivoted arms to retain the cross bar in the positions to which shifted by the pitinan.

WITSEL R. DE CA MP.

tive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofPatents, Washington, D. C. 

